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Monday, September 17, 2012

The wheels grind slowly

Another sunset

After a great deal of effort by Rozalin our
landlord finally replaced the torn and missing skylight blinds in our upstairs
studies. This took some considerable time as the wheels move slowly in Vienna –
indeed a man came to inspect the first damaged blind about 9 months ago.

Since then another two disintegrated - and
I had to tack an old sheet over one skylight to keep the summer sun at bay.

However – Rozalin is tenacious – and
eventually they give up and do the job rather than being berated by her every
second day.

So they did the job. Unfortunately each
skylight has in fact two blinds. The large skylight itself – pointed skywards -
and a small window facing out over Beatrixgasse.

Of course they replaced the black skylight
blinds with new white ones – so in each window we now have a non-matching set.

Black and White

Undaunted – Cate has put Rozalin on the job
again and she has succeeded in convincing those responsible that all the blinds
need to be the same colour. So – one day – not in the near future – a man will
arrive with new blinds.

A few weeks go there was a building notice
that informed us that the front and back door intercom systems were to be
replaced – with work to commence on 26 August.

Work did indeed commence as advertised and
the intercom systems were replaced. Now they don’t work because they have not
yet been connected to anything – and there is no indication as to when this
happy event may take place.

In the interim the front and back doors to
our apartment block are left unlocked – because of course no one can buzz
anyone to let them in – and our front door buzzers do not work anyway as they
are all connected to the main system.

One wonders if they have let the contract
to two separate contractors. One to install the new intercom and another to
turn it on – and the latter are on summer holidays.

It is best not to fret about these things
as eventually - albeit exceedingly slowly – all problems are solved.